Foldable game playing board

ABSTRACT

To reduce the packing space of game playing boards, which are formed with depressions to place game chips or the like therein, a plate member is formed with a preferably central opening into which a plastic body can be inserted. The plastic body has the depressions therein into which the chips can be placed. The plate member itself is formed with a fold line. The plastic body has a laterally projecting flange underlying the fold line and projections which fit into openings with an interference fit so that the plastic body can be pushed into the opening of the plate when the game is to be played, and can be removed therefrom, and the plate-like board folded.

United States Patent Riehle [54] FOLDABLE GAME PLAYING BOARD [72]Inventor: Harald Riehle, Esslingen/Neckar,

Germany [73] Assignee: lWA-Rechenschieberfabrik F. Riehle KG,Esslingen/Neckar, Germany [22] Filed: March 4, 1.971

[21] Appl. No.: 121,107

[52] U.S. Cl. ..273/136 G, 108/115, 273/134 G [51] Int. Cl. ..A63f 3/00[58] Field of Search ..273/130, 131, 132, 133, 134,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,024,194 4/1912 Frank..273/135 B 2,199,745 5/1940 Harris ..273/136 K 3,011,789 12/1961Eliassen et a1. ..273/135 R (451 Oct. 10,1972

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 492,105 4/1953 Canada ..273/136 ZPrimary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe Attorney-Flynn & Frishauf [57] ABSTRACTTo reduce the packing space of game playing boards, which are formedwith depressions to place game chips or the like therein, a plate memberis formed I 5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FOLDABLE GAME PLAYING BOARD Thepresent invention relates to a game board, and more particularly to agame board for games which use chips or other markers or elements whichare placed by the players into depressions, or formed locations, on theboard.

Many games use game boards which are printed with indicia depending uponthe game to be played.'ln many types of these games, chips, marker pins,or other symbolic shapes or figures are placed on specific locations onthe board. For ease of playing, or as provided by the rules, these gameboards are often formed with depressions into which the chips or markersare to be placed. If these game boards are to be formed withdepressions, however, then manufacture of the boards from cardboarditself presents difficulty. It is simple to make such boards of wood andform or groove the depressions therein, or to make them of plasticmaterial as a molding or punched game board directly formed with thedepressions. Such formed or shaped game boards have the disadvantagethat they are comparatively expensive in manufacture and additionallythat their three-dimensional profile prevents ready folding of the boardso that packaging, storing, and display require substantial I additionalmaterial and space. The final dimensions of the game board eventuallydetermine the size of the carton for packaging and if the board is to beof substantial size to accomodate a number of players, the size of thepackage quickly becomes unwieldy.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a game board whichhas a three-dimensional profile, in that it is formed with depressionsto accept chips, or other figures or elements to be used in the game,and which nevertheless can be folded for storage in a comparativelysmall space, and which is inexpensive to make.

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Briefly, a plate-like boardmember is provided which is formed with an opening, for examplecentrally located. A plastic formed, three-dimensional body having thedepressions therein is removably inserted in the opening. The plasticbody is itself shaped such that the region fitting against the openingis formed as an upstanding projecting rim, or the like, beyond which aflange extends, adapted to underlie (or overlie) the plate-like board.The projections matching against the rim fit therein with a slightinterference fit, to be frictionally retained. When the game is to beplayed, the plastic body is inserted in the opening; for storage, theplastic body is removed and the flat plate-like board can then be foldedto an outline which is much less than the size of the unfolded, flatboard. In a preferred form, the opening in the board is circular andcentrally located; additional locating holes may be provided in theboard, which fit over locating projections formed on the plastic body.These projections may be slightly conical.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a board in accordance with the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line ll-II of FIG. 1, to anenlarged scale.

The board 1 is preferably of cardboard, pressboard or similar material.lts upper side may have a printed game configuration, schematicallyindicated at 2, applied thereto. The particular type of printing willdepend on the game to be played. The board is formed with a circularcentral opening 3. Opening 3 need not be circular, but may have anyother shape, for example square, triangular, or as desired. The openingneed not be placed centrally of the game board but may be placedeccentrically; if required by the rules of the game, more than oneopening maybe provided in the board.

A plastic, three-dimensionally shaped body 4 is located in the opening3. it is removably inserted with a slight interference fit formed by asurface 6 and extending beyond the thickness of plate 1, fitting intoopening 3. The body 4 is formed with depressions 5 to accept chips,figures, or the like to be used in the game. A laterally extendingflange 7 having an end edge 7' projects from the side surface 6 to forma bearing stop for the lower portion of board 1. Flange 7 may be formedwith upwardly extending projections Sfitting into corresponding holes 9in board 1. Projections 8 are preferably slightly conical. If the body 4is not round, but so shaped that it can be located only in apredetermined orientation with respect to board 1, then projections 8may be omitted.

Board 1 itself can be folded across a fold 10 arranged along a foldingline passing through the opening. More than one such folding line can beprovided, for example another one at right angles thereto so that theboard 1 can be folded in two directions to form a small squareessentially fitting within, or closely over, the outline of plastic body4.

To play the game, board 1 is unfolded flat and body 4 inserted thereinwith the interference fit of surface 6 fitting against the inside wallof opening 3, and the lower surface of board 1 fitting against flange 7,projections 8 fitting into their matching holes 9.

Various changes and modifications may be made and the particulararrangement of the board itself, the printing thereon, and thearrangement of the depressions as shown in the drawings will follow fromthe nature of the game to be played and its rules and may be arrangedaccordingly.

I claim:

1. Game board comprising a foldable plate member (1) formed with anopening (3) therein and foldable about a fold line (10) extendingthrough the opening;

a board-like body (4) of plastic material, the plastic body (4) beingformed with a projecting portion (6) fitting into the opening (3) withan interference fit, and further formed with laterally projecting flangeportions (7) extending laterally beyond said projecting portion (6) andlocatable against a face of the foldable plate member (1) to support thefoldable plate member in flat, unfolded condition and to so hold theplate member by the interference fit.

2. Game board according to claim 1, including upwardly extendingprojections (8) formed on said flange Portions and openings (9) formedin said plate member matching the locations of said projections.

3. Game board according to claim 2, wherein said projections (8) areconical.

4. Game board according to claim 1, wherein said opening (3) is locatedcentrally with respect to said plate member.

5. Game board according to claim 1, wherein the plastic board-like body(4) has depressions (5) formed in the projecting portion (6) thereof.

1. Game board comprising a foldable plate member (1) formed with anopening (3) therein and foldable about a fold line (10) extendingthrough the opening; a board-like body (4) of plastic material, theplastic body (4) being formed with a projecting portion (6) fitting intothe opening (3) with an interference fit, and further formed withlaterally projecting flange portions (7) extending laterally beyond saidprojecting portion (6) and locatable against a face of the foldableplate member (1) to support the foldable plate member in flat, unfoldedcondition and to so hold the plate member by the interference fit. 2.Game board according to claim 1, including upwardly extendingprojections (8) formed on said flange portions (7); and openings (9)formed in said plate member matching the locations of said projections.3. Game board according to claim 2, wherein said projections (8) areconical.
 4. Game board according to claim 1, wherein said opening (3) islocated centrally with respect to said plate member.
 5. Game boardaccording to claim 1, wherein the plastic board-like body (4) hasdepressions (5) formed in the projecting portion (6) thereof.